Super Fast Workouts
Our phones are incredible tools that help us in so many ways, but they can also be a really big time suck. When we have an extra 5 - 10 minutes, it’s super easy to open our phones and check email, jump onto social media or play a game.
What if we didn’t open our phones some of the time? What if instead, we did a super fast workout and re-engerized our bodies and brains rather than making them more tired by continuing to sit and/or looking at a screen?
This post is about taking those little breaks (that many of us have repeatedly in any given day) and doing “super fast workouts”. This essentially means getting your workout done in small bursts over the course of you day rather than spending 30 - 60 minutes all at one time.
There’s definitely utility in doing a longer workout, but sometimes we just don’t have that time, or we can’t quite get motivated to spend that much time working out. Maybe you’re a little tired or really want to do something else.
Breaking your workout up into a minute or two at a time makes it really easy to get done. Here’s how:
When you get out of your chair, sit back down and stand up 10 - 20 times. Those are your squats.
While you’re waiting for your coffee or tea to brew, do some push ups against your counter.
Crank up some music and have your own dance party for a few minutes. This can be great cardio and strength and is just fun.
Keep some weights in your TV room and do some bicep curls and tricep overhead extensions while watching TV.
Put your stability ball in a place that you see it frequently and just sit on it while trying to balance with your feet off the ground. This is great for your core and inner thighs and is fun, but keep the ball close to a wall for safety!
Balance on one leg and practice hip openers or leg swings for 30 - 60 seconds on each side.
Do a plank or some bridge hip raises before getting dressed in the morning or before bed.
The possibilities are endless and the really amazing thing is that we often feel much better when we do a little bit of exercise, even when we are tired before we start.
Many of us don’t even get started because “there’s not enough time” and sometimes that is true. More often than not however, we do have a few minutes (or more) and could take a short walk and breath some fresh air, which will re-energize us much more than spending those minutes on our phone.
Don’t get me wrong, I do love to sit on the couch and binge watch TV at the end of a long day, but I also love the way my body feels when I move it.
You’re not going to move all the time, but why not take some exercise “snacks” and do a little bit of your workout throughout the course of any given day and see how your body feels? When you have the time, complete your full workout as well.
We’re all aging, so we might as well stay as strong and fit as we can during the process. It doesn’t have to be hard all the time.
Action Steps:
Think of one “exercise snack” you could do right now (if appropriate) and do it.
If you’re in a place that doesn’t allow you to do any of the suggestions above, or anything else you can think of, consider taking a short break when possible and take a baby walk around your space or up and down a set of stairs just to move.
Allow yourself to get stronger every day by doing at least one super fast workout. It really can be anything at all!
